By Julie Samrick As political, social and religious wars rage around the world and we hear of the bloodshed of children, the most innocent among us, most other topics seem petty to discuss. Yet the new film The Hundred Foot Journey is just what the world needs right now. I’ll even predict this movie… Read more

Julie Samrick Rated PG Overall Kid Focused grade: B- Running time: 1 hour, 29 minutes Three childhood friends Tuck, Alex, and Munch are on a mission to save their suburban neighborhood from having a freeway built through it in Earth to Echo. On the last night before demolition begins and their families are… Read more

Overall Kid Focused grade: A- Rated PG Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes By Julie Samrick Since dragons were banned, then accepted, in the first How to Train Your Dragon movie, dragon racing has become the Vikings’ favorite pastime in its sequel, How To Train Your Dragon 2. The son of Chief… Read more

Rated PG-13, 2 hours 6 minutes Julie Samrick Hazel is a 17-year-old with terminal cancer who starts going to support group to deal with her depression. She meets fellow teen Augustus Waters, whose vivacious personality soon rubs off on Hazel. Everything is wonderful except for the one fault in their stars- a nod to a… Read more

By Julie Samrick Maleficent is a well-intentioned fairy, a protector of her kingdom in the moors until her heart is hardened when she’s betrayed by the human world. She seeks revenge, taking her fury out on an innocent baby, Princess Aurora, thereby setting up the Sleeping Beauty story we know so well. Like the… Read more

Julie Samrick At the start of Rio 2 domesticated blue macaw Blu, his wife Jewel and three kids leave their computers, iPods and busy city life in Rio de Janeiro to get back to basics and research their heritage in the Amazon rainforest. Thinking they’re the only blue macaws left in the world, they find… Read more

Julie Samrick To look around the movie theater, parents had the biggest smiles on their faces during Mr. Peabody & Sherman, the new animated Dreamworks film that’s a nod to the past while still offering a clever, fresh plot. Mr. Peabody and Sherman is based on the adventures of the1960s characters of the same… Read more

“Everything is awesome” for Lego Movie’s leading character Emmet, where in his Lego-constructed world all citizens abide by the rules and optimism abounds. Chosen by a prophecy to be an imaginative “master builder,” and save the world from Kragl (a misspelling of Krazy Glue, which symbolizes no imagination or thinking outside structured, strict manual-led lives)… Read more

By Julie Samrick If you’re thinking of renting a family DVD in the New Year, check out this list of best to worst choices to watch with your kids. Frozen is the best movie of 2013 because every age will enjoy it equally. The cinematography is breathtaking and the full musical soundtrack is on par with… Read more

Meet the latest Disney princesses: sisters Anna and Elsa of the Nordic-inspired kingdom of Arrendale. When it’s discovered Princess Elsa (Idina Menzel) has the powers to freeze everything she touches, her parents, the King and Queen, hide her away much like Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty was sequestered for her own safety. Yet when Princess… Read more

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Julie Samrick
Finally, someone’s speaking out on the increasing madness of youth sports. A former professional athlete turned coach, now father of two, was in my town last week on one stop of a national lecture tour

When I was 6-years-old my parents told my three sisters and me we were adopting a baby boy. When I got off the school bus the day of our much-anticipated special delivery my mom was there to greet us. “Meet your new

At long last we’ve found a happy medium. My seventh grader got his much-desired smart phone this summer and everything I dreaded about it hasn’t happened (knock on wood). He’s not on it 24/7 or even head down, zoned

By Julie Samrick
As political, social and religious wars rage around the world and we hear of the bloodshed of children, the most innocent among us, most other topics seem petty to discuss.
Yet the new

By Julie Samrick
I wanted to let you know I'll be taking a short leave from writing articles for Kid Focused while I work on a clean, kid friendly, novel.
I've always wanted to tackle a book and have finally found

By Julie Samrick
Three-year-old Joseph’s flu-like symptoms were the first indicator something was wrong. “It was odd because he was only vomiting at night and he was really lethargic during the day,” said his mother

By Julie Samrick
As we sat around the campfire last weekend I pulled out an old Girl Scout goody for the 11 kids in our party. My Aunt Tilly, she died last night, she died last night, did she die?
At first

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By Ann Van De Water
Over the counter "Swimmer's Ear" drops contain alcohol. The prescription is an antibiotic and does not contain alcohol. I learned this the hard way.
My daughter had been complaining of ear pain so I told my husband I thought she had swimmer's ear and that I'd make a ... Read more

By Mario Vittone
The new captain jumped from the deck, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the couple swimming between their anchored sportfisher and the beach.
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By Lowry Manders
I recently heard author Bruce Feiler interviewed on NPR about his book The Secrets of Happy Families and as I listened I thought to myself, “I have got to get a book published!” He is echoing so much of the things I preach (and try to live) about how to create happy families in ... Read more